Picture Perfect
by Trixfan
Summary: A set of photos appear in the basement office causing quite a stir.  One might say "picture perfect" under the correct circumstance. Not a canon, AU or my usual.  Just pure fun, fluff and hilarity CC would never allow us to witness.
1. Chapter 1

A couple of authors notes before we start

Yes, CC, 1013 productions and Fox own the characters, however they've never written them like this.

Although this DOESN'T contain sexually explicit material, I'm rating it M for safety. In my mind there's enough suggestion to rate it at least T.

It could happen any time in the series, almost. My challenge to myself, not a spoiler between beginning and end. I know, it makes a nice change.

Oh, just pretend the show started on the 7th March 2002 when Scully walked into the basement for the first time (well there goes the note above), that is fast forward ten years to allow for the technology I needed to make this story possible. No more clues, you'll just have to read the story.

This, for me, is a change of pace, being pure fluff and fun. OMG not a baddy in sight!

I know it's been done before. I'm putting my seal on this situation just because I can.

* * *

><p>'Good morning, Scully,' Mulder cheerfully greeted his partner. Ten hours earlier he'd left her in front of her apartment building after returning from three seemingly connected cases which turned out to have nothing in common. Paper work would take up the next week, trapping them in basement office.<p>

'It's morning, Mulder,' she returned. The look on her face suggesting this would be anything but a good day.

'Something wrong,' he enquired, pulling off his trench and hanging it by the door. The suit jacket descended from his shoulder as Mulder strode to his desk. Placing in on the back of his seat, he looked in askance at Scully, lounging lazily on his chair. His hand caught his tie, losing it and the top two buttons on his shirt. He'd expected his partner to be hard at work on expense reports and case logs by now.

'You could say that,' quirking an eyebrow, she handed over a medium sized manila envelope. Scully's gaze tracked his every movement. 'This just happened to be on your desk when I came in this morning, address to the both of us. I decided to take a look and found something I think you'll enjoy.'

'What's in it,' intrigued he pulled three photos out of the packet. Jaw dropping, Mulder brought the printed paper closer to his eyes to ensure he'd seen what he thought he saw. After several seconds of complete silence, he managed in a strangled, ironic tone, 'any idea when these might've been taken?'

'Well,' Scully humoured him, now over the initial shock. To begin with she'd wanted to kill something realising what this discovery could mean. 'I've considered it and am no closer to an answer than an half an hour ago.' Shrugging, she managed to hide her feelings, until Mulder looked into her eyes.

'Did you come up with any ideas,' he turned the picture in his hand ninety degrees to see if it made the slightest difference. It didn't. Doing the same to the others, no special meaning jumped out at him. Turning the paper over, Mulder looked at the other side. Still nothing, nor did the covering give him an indication of who'd sent it or why.

'Has to be one of your secret admirers, Spooky,' Scully teased watching his mind come to the same conclusions as hers. The use of his hated nick name earned her the narrow, harrowing gaze she sought. 'Far as I can tell, they must be a composite, photo shopped. Although I'm unsure where they sourced the original material.'

'They're good,' Mulder's attention returned to the photos. 'I know we've been the object of speculation since the day you started in this office, but this goes beyond envy and petty jealousy.'

'Boarders on obsessive, I agree,' Scully took a print out of Mulder's grasp to take yet another look.

Scrutinising it for the hundredth time, Scully smiled enigmatically. If the image in this frame were true, she and Mulder would be out of a job faster than Morley Man could clean up one of her partner's supposed UFO crash sites. The image tickled Scully's fancy, drawing a belly laugh and an evil look from Mulder. While her eyes apologised because they both knew this, most defiantly, couldn't be construed in a positive light, no matter how you looked at it.

Returning her attention to the photograph, Scully shook her head. Her back flat against the office door, Scully's clothing appeared to be in disarray. Not that you could see much as Mulder's bulk obscured most of her petite frame. Dressed much the same as the present moment in time, Mulder's lips burnt a pathway down her neck while keeping her body trapped against the door. Under different circumstances, Scully would think it aesthetically pleasing.

'I like this one the best,' Mulder broke into her introspection, handing her another picture.

Taken in the living room of his apartment, Scully stood in the doorway to the entry cum dining area. Mulder's hand on her left hip, no personal space between them, the photographer captured the image from the waist up. Expression on their features so intense, almost passionate, it looked as though Mulder would lean in for a kiss from his long-time lover after a powerful argument.

'I don't know,' Scully pointed to the final frame, 'this one gets my vote as the least likely on several fronts.'

The pair lay on the blue and white striped couch in her lounge room, cavorting and naked. Mulder's Navajo patterned blanket covering the socially unacceptable areas of their bodies. Looking almost posed in its perfection, making the scene seem tasteful in what could only be considered the afterglow.

'Now that one I can see happening,' Mulder grinned, pointing out his fish tank in the back of the frame, 'you and me shacking up together, Scully. Who'd believe that Mrs Spooky.'

'In your dreams, Mulder,' Scully allowed her eyebrow to reach the roof.

'I don't know,' he'd been about to say more, to continue teasing her when the phone on the desk shrilled, demanding attention. Whishing he could ignore the instrument, Scully scooped the receiver off its base and handed the offending article to her partner. 'Mulder,' he answered in a professional tone. His gaze stating he had a lot more to say.

'Um, Agent Mulder,' Xavier, the security guard at the front desk stammered in a flustered tone, 'can you and Agent Scully come up here please. You have visitors.'

'Give us a few minutes,' Mulder considered the request, wondering who'd want to see them and if it anything to do with the photos in his hand. Deciding the only way to find out would be to go and see, he added, 'we're in the middle of something. We'll be up soon.'

'Make it fast will you,' Xavier sounded harassed.

Shrugging, Mulder grabbed for his tie and coat before signalling for Scully to follow him out of the office. He didn't attempt to make himself presentable. The amusement at the situation and the evidence Scully pocketed before they left their basement office, clearly displayed in his eyes. One look at his face and she knew exactly where his thoughts had strayed.

_They're better than my usual reading, uh, watching, uh looking at material_, Mulder couldn't hide his grin now the initial shock had worn off, _and more attractively arranged especially give the subject matter._

Neither wanted these photos in general circulation. Unspoken, they agreed to find a place to store them until they could discreetly investigate the origin. Mulder wouldn't consider taking this to The Gunmen, he'd never live it down.

They'd made it to the first floor, Mulder not bothering with his buttons for the moment. The elevator doors opened to the internal courier waiting to board. Before either agent could move past the man, he gave them a decidedly weird grin, shoving a flat brown package into a dishevelled looking Mulder's hand.

'Enjoy the contents,' he taunted, disappearing behind closed metal doors.

'Mulder,' Scully warned, placing a hand on his sleeve, 'I get the feeling people already know about these compromising pictures and everyone is watching for our reaction.'

Leaning in to whisper into her ear, Mulder mocked, 'because they are.' In the few seconds the lift door remained open on the main entry floor, he'd noticed the increased level of interest in the basement dwellers. 'I feel like the world's suddenly taken a great interest in us, Scully, and I think it might have something to do with the contents of this.' Mulder waved the package in the air.

'If it bears even a slight resemblance to the present left on your desk, let's wait until we're back in our office to open it,' Scully suggested.

Agreeing, Mulder placed a hand in the middle of her back. 'Shall we find out,' he asked, making the decision by pushing the basement button. Both felt relieved to be the only occupants of the elevator.

Shock greeted the agents when they pulled out three more pictures. Continuing from the office door scene, Scully's shirt now complete unbuttoned, her skirt hiked up above her waist while Mulder's pants loitered around his ankles told a story in a single frame. It didn't show much skin, but the expression on her face told a thousand words.

'Hey, I don't remember that,' he teased, attempting to negate Scully embarrassment and his own with sarcastic humour. It earned him The Look, proving his partner didn't blame him for this fiasco but she'd kill the person responsible when they found them.

'Really,' Scully allowed her anger to calm her. 'Nor that one, I suppose?' she asked, handing him the second photo.

This time they lay fully clothed on top of a bed in what looked like any of the hundreds of motel rooms they stayed in across the country. However the position of Mulder's hands, one inside her pyjama pants, the other sneaking up her top gave the otherwise innocent picture a suggestive tone. The final scene took place in a forest. Mulder lay on the ground with a sleeping bag just covering his groin. Skin above and below his pelvis on full display, Scully lay at Mulder's side. Lying face down, half on top of him, an equally naked Scully, her bottom covered tastefully, had her head nestled on his shoulder. Both looked to be contented and asleep.

'If it weren't so embarrassing,' Scully stated, investigating the packaging, then the back of each photo for any clues, 'I'd take these straight to the lab.'

'I don't think the content would be appreciated,' Mulder smirked, enjoying his partner's mortification. _I don't want it to be, by anyone but me_, he added silently realising he enjoyed the foray into the unexplained and frankly impossible territory.

With the level of Scully professionalism legendary throughout the FBI, people should be laughing at the obvious joke. Of all the female agents to choose, Scully would be the last person alive on this earth to get involved with her work partner. If, on the other hand, he were just a colleague, Mulder knew it might be a different story.

Before either could contemplate their next move, the phone on the desk shrilled at the same time as Mulder's cell vibrated in his pocket with the theme to Star Trek. 'Skinner,' he told Scully, flipping open the cell to answer the call, responding with 'Mulder.'

'My office now, or I'll be coming down to the basement,' Skinner barked down the line before hanging up.

Scully stoped the desk phone from ringing at the same time.

'Agent Mulder, I kind of need you up here now,' Xavier sounded harassed.

'I'm sorry,' Scully replied. One look at Mulder's face and she knew they needed to be elsewhere, 'We've been called into a meeting.'

'Well it had better be with the Director of the FBI,' Xavier's distress became drowned out by several voices in the background. Listening intently, Scully couldn't distinguish a voice or a particular conversation in the babble. It sounded as though the security guard had been surrounded by a mob.

Waiting for a break in the noise level, Scully finally managed to get out, 'something like that,' before replacing the receiver. 'Let's go, Mulder. I have a bad feeling this is all going to slide into place soon and neither of us will like the outcome.'

Taking the time to re-button his shirt, Mulder watched his partner closely. Scully helped by fixing Mulder's tie into place quickly and efficiently. He just shrugged into his coat, when the office door burst open. They'd locked it as a precaution before opening the package. Now a very angry Skinner stood, jaw working to keep his cool exterior as he looked down at the broken latch.

'Any reason this door's locked,' he asked, the tone deadly.

'Yes, Sir,' Scully recovered first, her hands dropping away from ensuring Mulder's tie sat correctly. Seeing the mischievous twinkle in her partner's orbs, she reached out a hand, asking him to let her deal with this before he got them into more trouble.

Skinner didn't miss the contact. He seemed to be looking for something as his eyes darted between the partners. Confused, he obviously didn't find the object of his scrutiny. 'I'm waiting,' he ground out, hands secured on hips.

'This morning, an anonymous envelope appeared on Mulder's desk,' Scully started, watching her superior's body language carefully. Skinner had never been easy to read. Scully found honesty worked best with their boss. 'It contained some very interesting information we'd like to follow up. However before starting our enquiries, another package arrived in the internal post with a similar content. I have to say, we're at a complete loss, unsure how to proceed with the investigation.'

'Would the material have anything to do with your personal relationship,' Skinner asked, deadly serious, to which Mulder snorted.

Telling him to shut up with a look, Scully answered, 'let me assure you, apart from rumours, Agent Mulder and I are not personally involved nor have we ever been.' It became Skinner's turn to quirk an eyebrow heavenward. 'However, we received six photos we believe have been photo shopped of us in rather compromising positions.'

'May I see them,' Skinner asked.

'I'd rather you didn't, Sir,' Scully tried, desperately to hide her embarrassment. With pale Irish skin, it became impossible, 'I'd like to keep them as private as possible, and they're rather explicit.'

'Perhaps you'd both like to take a look at these, then,' Skinner handed over two new pictures.

Scully gasped, causing Mulder to place his hand supportively at the base of her spine. Ironically in much the same pose at the couple in the photograph. Only both Mulder and Scully stood outside a large, two story suburban home waving goodbye. In the early evening light, the final rays from the sun caught the wedding bands on their left hands. Shockingly, Scully had a bundle in her arms, suggesting an infant.

The next photo, another happy family portrait, took place in Scully bedroom. Holding a newborn between them, Scully leant over the swaddled child to kiss Mulder on the lips. Shaking slightly at the pictures, Scully looked up into Mulder's startled eyes.

'Sir,' Scully attempted, lost for words.

'Take a look on the back,' Skinner suggested as the office phone shrilled once again. He moved passed the stunned agents to answer the call. 'Assistant Director Skinner.'

'Oh, I'm looking for Agent Mulder,' Xavier said in a small voice.

'Why,' Skinner asked, taking off his glasses and rubbing his forearm across the bridge of his nose to ward off the mounting tension. He'd already told the switch board to bar outside calls to the X-files extension and screen internal requests allowing only security access to Mulder and Scully.

'We have a situation here, Assistant Director,' Xavier informed him.

'Take whatever measures you need too,' Skinner stated tiredly, even though it'd just reached nine in the morning. Hanging up the phone, he noticed Mulder and Scully at the computer in the back office. Both wore an astounded expression as they gazed at an internet page, then each other. 'You really didn't know about this,' he stated, their reaction all the evidence he needed.

While Scully shook her head, Mulder said, 'No.'

'Well the bureau feels they can use this to advantage,' Skinner informed them. Not liking his next words, he stated evenly, 'you've generated a lot of public interest in a very short time span. We have an appointment with Janice Churchwood, the head of Media Services. She's in my office, waiting on you.'

'Why?' Scully asked, still frankly disbelieving of the internet content she'd seen. With a few clicks, not only photos, but stories, poems and blogs appeared with Mulder and herself as the central characters.

Sighing, Skinner looked Scully and Mulder in the eye, 'I'm not sure how it happened. Nobody is. So far we haven't found an internal leak.'

'While you were away on your last two week out of town investigation, the internet went viral with actual case reports about the X-files and the agents who chase them down. The public couldn't get enough. Overnight sites sprung up. It seems half the public is interested in the work, the other half in the romantic relationship they believe you're in. Either way it makes the Bureau look good and giving an amazing amount of positive press.'

'You mean,' Scully swallowed convulsively, 'this is in the news as well as all over the internet?'

'Yes, Agent Scully,' Skinner hissed.

'Why haven't we been made aware of this, Sir,' Mulder chimed in.

Well after ten pm they'd slipped in from yet another dead-end assignment in some far flung town. He remembered the crowd outside his apartment, but succeeded in avoiding them. This morning his super demanded his attention. Mulder managed to escape the man with a late for work excuse and ducking through the side entrance. He couldn't believe they'd remained oblivious to the attention.

Spelling it out, Skinner said, 'there are about a hundred reporters in the lobby demanding a glimpse of the most famous FBI agents this century. They are also camped outside your apartment buildings.'

'Hey, Scully,' Mulder turned to sarcasm, as he usually did in times like this, 'at least the words getting out.'

Going to the computer, Skinner pulled up the front page of a local well known and well respected newspaper. Splashed across the front page, the title "We Are Not Alone" with a picture of Mulder and Scully, taken as they returned to Washington sometime in the last month. His hand, as always when he escorted her anywhere, in the middle of her back. The by-line reading, I want to believe….Married or not they could be America's next sweethearts.

'Oh god,' Scully stated, slumping into the nearest chair, 'my mother would have read that.'


	2. Chapter 2

'The media's become increasingly saturated with your personal and professional lives over the last week,' Skinner watched as Scully pocketed the "family" photos. He suspected they'd join the others his agents received this morning, never to be seen again.

Ushering the pair out of the basement office, Skinner lead them to the solitary elevator on this floor and the only access to the FBI parking garage. He hoped they'd be able to bypass the lobby on the way to his executive office. At nine in the morning, with school and public tours starting, the Assistant Director realised they probably wouldn't be that lucky. If the waiting media captured even a glimpse of these two, the Hoover building would be inundated with press until forcibly removed.

'Agent Scully, I'm sorry we couldn't contact you in regard to the unwanted attention,' Skinner apologised, wondering how they'd cope with their, as yet, unrealised celebrity status. 'The Media Liaison Officer managed to convince the reporters you'd be returning to Dulles Airport this morning, dampening down some of the furore. Paying cash for a standby flight last night, you and Agent Mulder managed to avoid much of the circus occurring in the lobby and at your residences this morning. By the time Human Resources realised this would be an ongoing issue, it became almost impossible to stop to public's interest.'

'I understand, Sir,' Scully returned holding onto her ridged professionalism.

Not quite trusting her superior's assessment of the situation, Scully's face didn't entirely hide her disbelief. As they entered the elevator, Scully reached over to the control panel, pressing the key for the Hoover building's foyer. She'd made sure they'd stop on the ground floor.

'If you want to face the media,' Skinner tried to keep the sly smirk off his face. Expecting this, he knew Scully needed to see the spectacle for herself before believing anyone could be interested in her life. 'Then be my guest. I suggest you prepare yourselves for the barrage you're about to face. I don't think you quite understand the level of interest you and Agent Mulder have generated.'

Giving her boss a "I'm humouring you" look, Scully smiled enigmatically. Mulder's hand found its place at the base of her spine, offering the support he suspected she'd need in the next few minutes. The crowd gathered at his home suddenly made sense. By good luck rather than planning, he escaped their notice this morning. Then on their aborted journey to the security desk, Mulder spied the foyer filled with bodies. He had a fair idea of what to expect.

'There they are,' someone shouted across the marble room as the lift doors opened. The eagle eyed newsman, the first to spot the infamous couple, pushed to the front of the crowd. Readying his camera, he aimed at the elevator. Snapping several shots before being jostled out of the way, he'd been pleased with his pictures.

Stepping from the car, Scully's smile disappeared. Her expression making it obvious she hadn't expected this kind of reception. Almost a hundred individuals, some with video equipment, other with cameras, the rest toting voice recorders waited patiently for a glimpse of their quarry. Now the infamous pair brought the crowd to life. The reporter's words acted like magic and the lobby erupted with sound at the same moment the elevator doors closed behind them.

Pushing at the barriers necessitated extra security personnel guarding the public entry to the Hoover Building. Excited at the possibility of capturing a picture or word with the agents, the mob started to push forward. Security offices found it increasingly difficult to contain the anxious media and members of the general public trying to spot their idols.

'Agent Scully!' a male voice shouted from somewhere on her left, loud enough to drown out his competition.

'Agent Mulder,' another challenged, this time feminine, 'over here.'

Any other words became drowned out in the general babble of many voices all speaking at once. One quick glance at the crowd, the amplified security to contain them, Scully realised her mistake. Shocking astonishment covered her face as she tried to step back into the lift. The doors closed, the car had moved upwards for other patrons, trapping her and her partner before the media barrage. Several flash bulbs went off. Almost blinded by the sudden light, Dana found her hand covering her eyes in an attempt to save her eyesight.

'Agent Scully, could you answer a few questions?' the same male reporter almost screamed, managing to be heard above his comrades.

'Hey, Spooky,' an agent both Mulder and Scully knew and detested spoke loudly enough to capture the attention of the media closest to him. He'd exited one of the other elevators, intending to leave the building with his partner. However he couldn't bypass the opportunity to rub Mulder's nose in it with an audience.

Like a ripple spreading on the surface of a still pond, the reports held their collective breath, waiting to see what happened between these federal agents. Animosity filled the air, the signals between the two men hostile. Their dislike of each other tangible enough to almost taste, it permeated every inch of the lobby. 'I heard you and Mrs Spooky managed to sneak in under the radar last night,' Tom Colton set the cat among the pidgins with a smug grin. He still hadn't forgiven Dana Scully or her partner for perceived wrongs.

'Spooky?' a voice proclaimed, 'is that what he called Agent Mulder?'

'Mr and Mrs Spooky,' another shouted in the hope of attracting their attention, 'can you tell us the status of your personal relationship?'

Hearing and seeing enough, Scully turned to Mulder. Laying a hand on his arm, she lent in close and whispered, 'let's go Mulder.'

A barraged of flashbulbs went off, capturing the moment on celluloid. Agreeing, they both turned to face the closed lift door. Mulder's hand reached for her. Finding the place it usually inhabited, he guided Scully the three paces back to the elevator. Pressing the call button, Mulder hoped they didn't have to long to wait.

'Is it true you're living together at Agent Mulder's Alexandria apartment?' yet another loud mouthed newsman attempted to draw the pair into a conversation. He managed to get passed the security detail and through the metal detectors before being forcibly stopped.

'Well,' Mulder lent down to comment into his partner ear, 'that could be the reason why they staked out my home last night and not yours. The crowd hadn't dispersed this morning so I managed to slip out the back.'

'Some of those pictures we received featured the interior of my apartment, Mulder,' Scully retorted.

No way would she turn around again to face the barrage of media. In that moment Dana Scully realised they could not go home, nor did she consider her mother's house safe. In fact anyone they counted a friend would now be out of bounds. A visit would spell the same kind of attention, in the hope of digging up some dirt. They'd stake out whoever they needed to keep this story alive when she and Mulder went underground until this furore died a natural death. In Special Agent Dana Scully's mind, going underground until this blew over became the only logical solution.

'I know we didn't get a good look at all the material on the internet,' Mulder reasoned, 'maybe the images delivered to our office are a one off.'

'Are you suggesting they've been sent to us for some nefarious reason,' Scully quirked an eyebrow, 'but not shared with the world in general.'

'I think we need more time to investigate where they came from and what material is out there before we can draw any conclusions,' Mulder's dislike of attention showing in his satirical tone.

'Hey, Mulder,' the same reporter attempted his last shot as the lift doors opened and their quarry found an escape route. He needed something sensational to attract their attention. 'I hear you subscribe to Celebrity Skin?'

It took exactly three seconds for the entire gathering to become deadly silent once again. Waiting with a single baited breath for his answer, Scully cringed. She knew he wouldn't be able to resist. A glance over her shoulder demonstrated the sarcastic smirk covering Mulder's face. Her look pleaded with him not to say a word. As usual he did exactly what he wanted without thought for the consequence.

'Would you,' Mulder teased, stepping backwards into the waiting elevator car just as the doors began to close the reporters out, 'need to read such degrading articles, objectifying women, when you have an intelligent, strong, feminie partner.' Scully knew he used the word partner in the FBI sense. The gleeful grin on the face of the reporter displayed his understanding to be somewhat different. 'Besides,' Mulder continued, 'it's a federal offence to tamper with mail.'

Whatever the response, Mulder and Scully wouldn't witness it firsthand. _Thank God for small mercies_, Scully muttered under her breath. Quirking her eyebrow at her partners' triad, Dana couldn't help herself in the security of the lift. No one would overhear her bantering with Mulder and deliberately misconstrue their words.

'Objectifying women, Mulder,' she almost laughed, out loud. 'Since when have you been so sensitive towards women's rights and me in particular?'

'Since I started working with you, Scully,' he returned sardonically. 'Are you suggesting I don't treat you as an intelligent, professional woman?'

Not wanting to get into that argument, Scully wisely chose to remain silent. Sending him a look that spoke volumes, Mulder gave her a cheesy grin. He really enjoyed this kind of conversation with his partner.

'You know that last reporter deliberately baited you,' Scully informed, 'I don't think the word _partner_ will convey the Bureau's connotations in the morning edition.'

'Maybe I didn't want it too,' Mulder sent a leering smirk towards Scully. He also liked the blunt innuendos between them. Scully never took him seriously, writing it off as part of his unique character traits.

'Really?' she fired back with an elevated eyebrow.

'Yeah, really, Scully,' Mulder continued to leer at her.

Before Scully could form a retort, the car stopped moving. The doors opened to the executive level. Skinner waited for them to alight, gaging his agents' reaction to their first taste of media exposure. The impassive look covering Scully's face told anyone caring to look, how much the scene in the lobby had cost her. She understood the implications of their sudden notoriety.

'Seen enough,' Skinner asked, 'to understand the predicament both you and the Bureau face?'

'I believe so, Sir,' Scully said past pursed lips.

'I gather the basement is now out of bounds,' Mulder chimed in, his hand guiding Scully to their superiors' office.

'There may be a great many places and situations that are now out of bounds to you and Agent Scully,' Skinner remarked scarstically.


	3. Chapter 3

'It might only be a short walk down this corridor,' Mulder lent into his partner, whispering as his eyes darted from one side to the other, 'but every person on this floor is coming out to see the sceptical as it passes.'

Keeping a tight smile on her red lips, Scully agreed with a pained expression. It communicated more to Mulder than words ever could. She'd noticed the sudden stillness, followed by averted eyes as they passed several doorways along the hallway leading to Skinners office. The mood, one of gentle excitement after sighting a celebrity, permeated the air. The image disturbed Scully on so many levels she couldn't count. A look at Mulder told much the same story. Notoriety never came easily to either of them and Dana Scully didn't quite know how they'd cope with the situation. Her partner didn't have any more of an idea, as the grimace on his face clearly showed.

'This,' Skinner stated as they entered his inner sanctum, 'is Janice Churchwood, the FBI's Media Liaison Officer assigned to your … situation.'

'Agent Mulder,' Janice smiled politely, her eyes darting between the two individuals before her. Whilst unfolding her tall frame from one of Skinners leather armchairs, she held out her hand in greeting as though she owned the office, 'Agent Scully, it's nice to finally meet you.'

Surprised the woman melded seamlessly into their superior's dominion, Janice offered, 'please take a seat so we can start. Assistant Director Skinner informs me you have exposed yourselves to the media barrage in the lobby this morning.' Waiting for nods from the agents, Janice continued as through addressing a pair of naughty school children. 'Well I suppose it can't be helped, although we would have liked to orchestrate the meeting to our advantage. You obviously needed to see the extent of this phenomenon with your own eyes to truly believe what's happening.'

'You can say that again,' Mulder muttered under his breath. Keeping her tight smile on her face, Scully didn't respond to the comment meant for her ears only. Shadowing his partners' movement, Mulder moved to sit beside Dana, giving them the appearance of unity. It'd been a deliberate, if unconscious, move on their part, one they'd used successfully on their superiors countless time in the past.

'So tell me, Agent Scully,' Janice turned her saccharine smile on what she considered to be the weakest link, 'how are you coping with your newly found status?'

Playing the game, Scully answered in a smooth tone which Mulder and Skinner had learnt to distrust. 'Affronted, Ms Churchwood. My privacy has been invaded. My personal life turned upside down, my every move observed and my work affected. My family and friends will be as intimidated and disturbed by the media's interest in us as Agent Mulder and myself. How would you like either of us to feel?'

'Apprehensive, infuriated, threatened,' Mulder added, his hazel gaze zeroing in on the woman attempting to remain calm and collected under the duel barrage of negative emotions.

Swallowing hard, Janice worked to keep her smile. Given the information in these agents' personnel files, she'd expected some resistance. The amount of animosity, frankly, Janice found astounding. Most people liked the idea of becoming famous, even if they openly declared the opposite. Walter Skinner had attempted to warn her. He attempted to apprise the entire public relations department how his agents would react this situation. They hadn't listened and the Assistant Director proved to be more in touch with the reactions of his agents than anyone expected.

Clearing her throat, Janice looked at the clip board in her lap. 'The FBI has considered all options given the current media interest in the X-files and the agents employed in that department,' she started on what would have been a long explanation of the Bureau's intention.

'Oh,' Mulder spoke into a momentary pause, his scowl speaking volumes about his mental demeanour. His attitude beyond sarcastic, 'and what does the FBI consider the best option for its most unwanted division? I can't wait to hear what they intend for us.'

Ignoring both his words and tone, Janice chose to answer the interruption because it suited her purpose. Realising less would actually be more with the hostile pair of agents, she recalculated her carefully scripted pitch. Deciding to come straight to the point, at least as straight as an ex-media almost personality can, she cleared her throat. Envy behind every carefully controlled expression crossing her face. 'The Public Relations Department feel it best to utilize the current interest generated in yourself and Agent Scully to showcase the Bureau in a very positive light. To make the public see we're keeping up with the interests and concerns of the general populace. Several high profile talk show hosts have requested live interviews.' The smile Janice Churchwood displayed could have rivalled a Cheshire cat.

Mulder turned his face to Scully. They immediately shared the same mindset. This woman believed this situation to be her big entry back into the world of Hollywood and the possible fame and fortune that entailed. Neither liked the idea of acting on their best behaviour, giving scripted answers to inane questions while the media tore apart their lives. They'd been the butt of the FBI water cooler jokes, loosing professional acumen and personal prestige for too long to allow others to manage their lives now.

'What would be the point of this media exposure,' Scully asked in the same overly sweet tone. 'Could we, for instance, talk of our investigations or perhaps Agent Mulder's theories…..'

'I'd be sent a list of topics the interviewer wished to discuss. The Bureau would include those they considered appropriate, given the special and sensitive nature of the investigations handled by your department,' Janice answered, suddenly understanding the attempt to play her at her own game. A slight furrow creased the space between her eyes. 'The dignity and propriety of your division and the FBI must be maintained throughout any interview you agree too,' she counselled.

'So,' Mulder enquired in a deceptively mild voice, 'we'd be able to answer these carefully scrutinised questions with the truth?'

'Within limits, Agent Mulder,' Janice's words formed a warning as her lips pursed in obvious displeasure.

'So what you're really saying,' Mulder fired back ironically, 'is you want a couple of media puppets you can wheel out at will, touting the politically correct Bureau policy verbatim.'

'Essentially,' the determined look on Janice's face said she'd get her way, 'yes.'

'Best of luck,' Skinner, who'd stood by and watched the byplay muttered under his breath. Taking the small, round metal spectacles from the bridge of his nose, Walter pulled a handkerchief out of his top pocket. Watching his agents closely, he knew they wouldn't take this laying down. He'd warned Ms Churchwood to choose her approach carefully.

Anger infused the media liaison's face. 'What are you implying, Assistant Director Skinner,' she demanded, red cheeked.

'I've been trying to get these two to toe the line for several years now,' he stated calmly, replacing his glasses and pushing them into place with an index finger, 'what makes you think you can achieve what their direct superior, whom they report to on a daily basis and have a grudgingly respect for, can't?'

Spluttering, Janice finally retorted, 'you must have a method which works.'

'Several,' Skinner agreed his hand now on his hip in typical military style, 'but none I'm willing to share. I'm afraid, if you want Agents Scully and Mulder's co-operation in this, you'll have to find a compromise, Ms Churchwood.'

'What is this really about?' Mulder asked, realising more went on than met the eye.

'A well-known small screen director,' Janice turned her fury on the pair, 'is willing to turn your ridiculous investigations into a TV series. He's asked the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, **personally**,' she made the word sound like a reverent prayer, 'for the exclusive rights to the material researched by the X-files and its agents. I have no idea why, but the man asked for your assistance, Agent Mulder. In the last two weeks this particular producer has managed to gain funding for a pilot episode of the "Unexplained Files". Due to the amount of publicity, he wishes to keep his plot lines as realistic as possible and the first episode on our TV screens within months. The Bureau feels he should be allowed unrestricted access to you, your work and your expertise. We're willing to release you and Agent Scully from your current assignments to ensure the portrayal of your work is realistic and true to the procedures used by actual agents employed within the Bureau.'

'Now I see why the talk show circuit is so important,' Mulder rubbed his chin, considering all the ramifications of this latest development. 'How long do Scully and I have to make up our mind?'

'Your first interview is in ten days' time,' Janice stated, her face now devoid of any emotion. She'd lost the upper hand in this negotiation from the moment the first story about this pair hit the internet. A fact Janice Churchwood only just became conversant with.

'Where do we go until then?' Scully chimed in, the sarcasm in her tone carefully modulated so only Skinner and Mulder recognised it. The eyebrow raise a dead giveaway for anyone who knew the straight laced Agent. 'Our homes have been inundated with media. Reporters will be scampering for any crumb of information from any person we've had dealings with since the X-files began. Agent Mulder and I haven't had the opportunity to discover the complete extent of the phenomenon we experienced in the lobby. I understand the internet has played a large role in this event. We haven't been given the time or chance to discover how this occurred or the magnitude of it.'

'The directors and writers of "Unexplained Files" would like you to fly to California as soon as possible,' Janice spoke slowly. 'They intend to put you up in a suite at the Beverly Wilshire so they may have uninterrupted and exclusive access to your expertise. I believe your privacy can be assured while this instant sensation is allowed to die a natural death. The media is very fickle. Give it a few days, maybe a few weeks and this furore will die down. Then you and Agent Mulder can get back to your normal lives.'

'I see,' Scully spoke slowly.

Indeed she did see. Dana Katherine Scully and Fox William Mulder sharing a suite at the up market establishment like celebrities. If any one of the exclusive hotels employees dropped so much as a hint the couple were in residence, they'd be trapped. Worse, they'd be trapped in a small, confined space together until the media speculation about the state of their supposed relationship and location died a natural death. Worse still, if the media got a hold of either package sent to them, their private lives would be over.

Her hand stole into the pocket of her coat. Ensuring the pictures she wished might never see the light of day remained hidden, Scully weighed her next words with great care. Glancing at her partner, Dana asked Mulder if he wanted to go along with the plan.

'Let's think of it as an all expenses payed vacation, Scully,' Mulder answered.

His eye's communicated something altogether different. He wanted to give them time to explore the photos under her fingers. He wanted to get to the bottom of this sudden notoriety. Mulder had a new and even more dangerous quest than the X-files. She could see it in his hazel orbs and read it in his taught body language. Shuddering in response, Scully knew Mulder's mind had come up with something, an idea, a theory and he wanted the anonymity of a new city to research his hypothesis. Excitement at the prospect ran through him like electricity.

'Well,' Janice turned her Cheshire smile on them now she'd accomplished what she'd set out to achieve. 'I'm glad we got that sorted. I'll make the calls to the Director and the Producer to inform them of your decision.'

'I want to see my mother,' Scully spoke up, 'before we leave for California. I cannot leave without letting her know the truth.'

'Of course,' Janice agreed sweetly, 'I'll arrange to have Mrs Scully brought here. In the mean time we'll need to look at your appearance and deportation. You're effectively the poster representation of the FBI to the world at large. For the most part we won't need to do too much,' she paused, her grin widening as Janice scrutinised the agents seated before her, 'you both look the part. I could see the producer wanting to cast you as yourselves in his series. Very little in the way of hair or wardrobe could be improved. You both seem to have an innate sense of style and grooming,' the monologue, Mulder and Scully soon realised didn't require their input. Slightly amused, Mulder continued to listen to the woman as if entranced. 'Although I thought I read in your file, Agent Mulder,' Janice turned her soft, doe brown eyes on him as she flicked a strand of long honey coloured hair over her shoulder, 'that you're red/green colour blind?'

Scully leaned into her partner who seemed to eat up the undivided attention. Whispering, 'I believe that comment is aimed at your choice of tie,' her cerulean gaze contained a mixture of "Oh brother, another leggy blond my partner is attracted to," combined with "you're such a sucker, Mulder".

Mulder returned with a hurt puppy dog look, earning him a polite Scully smile and a pat on the forearm.


	4. Chapter 4

A.N. – I've had a family tragedy. Currently I'm not getting the time I'd like to write, spending several hours each day with my father in hospital. I've returned, in a very limited capacity as this is my way of coping with the stress of a chronically ill loved one. Because of this, I'd wanted to make this story fit almost anywhere, without reference to any particular episode. I'm afraid, when writing MSR, that just not possible. By now there shouldn't be spoilers for any one!

'Dana,' Maggie immediately went to her daughter.

Still in shock from the revelation over the last hour, Scully turned towards the familiar voice. 'Mom,' she almost cried on noticing the older woman walk through Skinners office door. Getting to her feet in a hurry, Scully rushed to greet the beloved face of her mother.

Capturing her daughter in a warm embrace, Margaret Scully stated, 'I've been so worried. All that nonsense about you and Fox in the papers and on the internet,' she exclaimed, her expression displaying the depth of her concern for her daughter and her partner. Not that Maggie had been silly enough to believe ninety precent of what she read or heard. After all she had intimate knowledge of the pair the media failed to understand. Her heart on the other hand, wanted to suppose all the romantic fictions she read had a small kernel of truth at its centre. A seed these two head strong willed and oblivious individuals might one day allow too grow into something strong and vibrant. She spent enough time with them to understand why anyone would think they'd been in a relationship almost since the beginning of their association. Their unspoken bond, in evidence now, ran deep and constant.

Pulling away genteelly, Scully admitted, 'Mulder and I haven't had the opportunity…'

'No, I guess not,' Maggie sighed deeply, interrupting, 'you've been gone several weeks this time. I've missed you so much, Dana. Fox,' she turned to the man who stood when she entered the room like the well-mannered gentleman she'd expected.

'It's good to see you again, Mrs Scully,' he managed, finding himself in Margaret's comforting clasp.

'I fed your fish while you were away,' Maggie shook her head as she released the man she thought of as her third son. In some way, Fox Mulder could be considered closer than either Bill or Charlie, and near, spatially speaking too.

'You didn't need to do that,' Mulder said, somewhat embarrassed by the admission.

His apartment would benefit each time Maggie just popped around. He knew the visits would entail some light house work and several frozen meals deposited into his freezer. Mulder and Mrs Scully had come to an understanding in the moths Scully had been missing, his never ending search for Dana rewarded by treating Mulder as an extended member of the family. If the media captured these one of Margaret's duty calls, he shuddered to think what they'd made of it. Making a mental note, Mulder intended to find out at the earliest opportunity.

Razing an eyebrow in a move reminiscing of her daughter, Margaret enquired, 'and who would have looked out for those poor creatures while you chased, what was it this time, fire breathing dragons half way across the country,' she teased easily. 'Honestly, I'm tired of buying you a never ending supply of guppies every birthday and Christmas. It's time you started to take some responsibility.'

'I'm afraid Mulder's going to have to ask you to look after his pets a little longer,' Scully told her mother in an amused tone tempered with melancholy.

Looking between them in askance, Maggie finally questioned, 'why?'

'With all the media attention, we can't return to either our homes or work,' Mulder answered uneasily, hopping from one foot to the other in agitation. 'Scully and I have taken a long term assignment on the west coast in the hope of avoiding most of this unwanted attention. We feel it would lead to less media attention and intrusion for all our family and friends.'

Scully gave Janice Churchwood and the three other individuals who'd been scheduling their time a quelling look. At first they ignored the petite, red haired agent. Skinner, taking the hint, shepherded the crowd from his office with, 'I think we need to give Agent Scully and her mother some time.'

Walking her mother over to the black leather couch gracing one wall, they finally found themselves alone. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, Scully began to explain the situation in detail, at least as they knew it. Looking to her partner, who chose to remain standing and paced the floor like a caged lion, Dana silently asked permission. Returning a stunned look, Mulder agreed.

'I,' Scully stumbled for several seconds, 'don't want you to open this package, Mom. Just know what it contains,' she pulled the brown paper wrapped bundle from her coat and placed it in the upturned hand of her mother, 'cannot fall into the hands of anyone remotely related to the media. Please,' Dana's blue orbs beseeched her mother, 'don't be tempted to open it.'

'Dana,' Maggie looked shocked.

'Someone has taken images of your daughter and I, Mrs Scully, ' Mulder explained gently, 'and significantly changed the content to give the impression of an intimate relationship existing between us.' Picking out the most benign of the pictures, Mulder handed Maggie the family frame of a wedded couple before a large suburban house holding an infant between them.

'Oh,' a hand stole to her mouth as Margaret's eye's captured first blue then hazel understanding the content of the others. What came out of her mouth next, she'd never understand why. 'Would it be so bad,' Maggie enquired, the initial shock dissipating, 'for the two of you to finally admit your feelings toward each other.'

'Mom,' Scully rebuked, immediately looking to Mulder for his reaction.

For his part, Mulder's warm gaze didn't leave Scully. He considered his next word with more care than he'd ever given anything exiting his mouth. 'No, it wouldn't,' he confessed, 'but what we have now, the way we react to each other is enough. The unspoken sentiment is partly what drives us apart and yet keeps us together. It's the glue in our partnership that's allowed us to remain friends while keeping the professional distance our jobs require. To change that dynamic, it'd change us.'

_It just did_, Margaret Scully realised, _even if these two stubborn individuals standing before me don't yet realise it. By Fox finally speaking his mind, he's set Dana on a path to discovering the depth of her emotions. Emotions she's not dared to explore before._

'Call me when you get back,' Maggie stated easily, realising the interview had ended. Hiding the package in her handbag, she knew she'd never open it. The image of Dana holding a child, enough to make her heart sing in hope it might one day happen. That Fox could be the life partner her daughter sought, she considered a forgone conclusion. Holding up a hand before either could tell her where they'd be, she stated determinedly, 'the less I know, the better I can keep your secret.' _And the longer you stay away_, Maggie's mind made the link, _the more chance I have of the picture becoming a reality._

'Thanks, Mom,' Scully lent in for a final hug, realising how short a commodity time had become.

Their journey commenced just after one in the afternoon D.C. time, with a couple of lookalike actors spirited away to Dulles Airport as a decoy. Most of the congregated media followed in the hope of securing yet another picture. A few diehards with far too much experience to be easily fooled by the FBI tactics stayed and waited. A few minutes later, Mulder and Scully left by the main underground car park exit, using their personal ID's. Neither wore a disguise, nor were they bothered by the remaining paparazzi who expected a more covert exit. They drove a Bureau issued car to a small private runway to catch a jet emblazoned with a famous Hollywood studio logo on the side. Able to extend his lanky frame and relax on the well-appointed plane, Mulder caught up on some much needed sleep after sharing a sumptuous meal provided by the flight attendant who could have double as one of Hugh Heffner's playhouse bunnies.

For the hour after their dishes had been cleared away, Scully watched her slumbering partner. Stretched out on the expensive cream leather recliner, Mulder's arms folded across his broad chest, he slept serenely. His words to her mother circling her mind incessantly. Wondering if Mulder really meant any of them, Dana began to re-evaluate every interaction between them. Each flirtatious gesture could be seen in a very different light. Each suggestive innuendo meaning so much more than the biennial banter she'd allowed. What Dana discovered about herself, the emotions she felt made her uncomfortable to say the least. Somewhere over the Midwestern states, Scully finally relaxed enough to sleep. Only her dreams were filled with images of intimacies never shared with Mulder. Intimacies invoked by the pictures discovered this morning.

A slight pressure in her ears became the reason for Scully's abrupt return to the real world. She woke feeling emotionally drained. Realising they were landing in Los Angeles, Scully tried to keep her eyes from straying towards her partner and the vivid images her mind refused to release. The photos she'd examined this morning, now indelibly etched in her neural pathways, refused to leave. Worse still, they now formed a moving sequence, linking one image to another, turning them into an erotic film.

'You OK, Scully,' Mulder reached over the console between them and placed a hand on her arm. Pale, he attributed the lack of colour to Scully's anxiety about take-off and landing. For as long as he'd know her, the irrational fear assaulted her mind at the start and end of every flight they'd ever taken.

'I'm fine,' she replied automatically.

Mulder's grin implied his disbelief but he allowed her the dignity of not challenging the statement. This time, Scully hadn't given a thought to the process of getting the jet onto the tarmac. The warmth generated by her partner's palm on her forearm sent tingles directly to her shoulder. Turning her startling blue gaze on Mulder, he gave her a quizzical expression before moving his palm down to cover her hand in a gesture of understanding. Squeezing it lightly in a rare display of affection, he had no intention of moving it.

'Mulder,' Scully warned with a pointed look their joined limbs.

'What,' he grinned widely at her dangerous tone. Gripping her palm more tightly, Mulder entwining their fingers as Dana attempted to pull away. 'Give me a break, Scully,' he pleaded in his best schoolboy 'I'm behaving myself' voice. Directing her gaze to the flight attendant with a nod of his head, Mulder explain in a soft tone, 'the playboy bunny's been giving me the eye since we boarded. I only have to move,' he complained, 'and she's at my side asking if there's anything I need.'

'Poor Mulder,' she cooed sarcastically.

Rolling his eyes in an action reminiscent of Scully, he pleaded, 'when I tried to go to the bathroom while you slept, she mentioned the mile high club. I let her think the media's uncovered our clandestine relationship.'

'You told her,' Scully's anger surfaced, 'what, exactly?' One look at that face, trying to hide behind an innocent expression and Scully didn't need to ask further. 'I just hope she's discreet enough to keep her mouth closed,' Dana hissed, knowing Mulder's sense of humour and flirtatious nature, 'because if I see one article mentioning you, me and the inappropriate activities in hygiene facilities while in the air, you're right shoulder will see the business end of my gun. Only this time, Mulder,' she warned, finally managing to pull away from his hold, 'you won't be half anaesthetised by your buildings water supply.'

Chancing a glance over his shoulder to ensure the Bunny watched their intimate seeming conversation and drew the conclusion he wanted her too, Mulder lent in and whispered, 'I love it when you talk rough, Scully. It sends shivers down my spine.'

The front wheel touched the ground at the same moment Scully anger reached the stratosphere. However the bump had her hand automatically reaching across the space in search of Mulder's comforting grip. The moment her hand found his, Dana realised her mistake. Accompanying the intimate hold, she realised her partner's face wore a look of triumph and adulation.


	5. Chapter 5

'Thank God that's over,' Scully muttered, throwing her brief case onto the ornately embroidered couch in the sitting room of their two bedroom suite at the Beverley Wiltshire Hotel. Ignoring her taller, male partner, Dana took the six steps necessary to reach the picture window on the twelfth level of the exclusive hotel. She stared, unseeing, into the darkening sky as it became illuminated by lights of Los Angeles.

'Which part,' Mulder asked rhetorically, closely following the leather satchel with an audible poof of air from the expensive lounge. The porter had been payed off, their host bid farewell until the morning and luggage neatly arranged in one of the king sized bedrooms. 'The choreographed landing with full media coverage on,' he paused for sarcastic effect, 'how many cable channels,' holding up his fingers he started to mentally count, 'I remember at least ten. Didn't you find it odd Scully, to be met by a red carpet on the runway? Or perhaps you're referring to the effusive greeting by the studio executives who played up to the waiting media frenzy by ensuring we stood centre stage in their personal circus. I have to say, the announcement of where we're staying, along with our FBI assignment as collaborative producers on the "Unexplained Files" formed the highlight of my day.'

'I think that rogue reporter from,' Scully moved to face Mulder, only to hesitate with an ironic expression on her face. Ignoring her partners invitation to sit, she continued in a voice dripping with disdain, 'where was it, oh, that's right, Celebrity Skin. He seemed very interested in what our flight attendant had to say. She seemed please give an exclusive interview confirming our "relationship" by describing every intimate detail of the flight.'

'Actually, Scully,' Mulder made his panic face, at which point Dana Scully knew she hadn't heard the worst yet. 'You remember that tall, red headed reporter?'

'You mean the one whose legs went all the way up to her very shapely posterior, which,' she announced dramatically with a famous eye roll, 'appeared to capture your complete and undivided attention.'

'Careful, Scully,' Mulder attempted a dry satirical tone. It didn't quite come off. 'Anyone might think you're jealous,' he countered. One look at Scully's scowl and he knew her thoughts on the woman and his half-hearted flirtatious attentions towards the reporter weren't amiable. 'Well,' he confessed in a somewhat nervous voice, 'she wouldn't stop with the personal questions.'

Razing an eyebrow in a "this better be good" gesture, the petite woman came to stand with her knees almost brushing those of her partner, trapping him on the couch. Hands on hips, Scully's stance demanded he continue. If he chose to ignore the posture, he'd pay dearly and Mulder knew it. Nervously clearing his throat, Mulder stammered, 'she asked me about your Mom and my relationship with her.'

'My Mom,' Scully stated, astounded. She hadn't expected that, but the comment intrigued her enough to glare at her partner, forcing him to continue.

'It seems someone mentioned your Mom's a frequent visitor to my apartment, especially when we're out of town,' Mulder stated carefully.

'So?' Scully turned her ire towards the man sitting before her.

'We want The Unexplained Files to mirror real life as much as possible,' Mulder mimicked the TV executive's tone and mannerism's, 'by employing the FBI agents responsible for the current interest in unexplained phenomena, we hope to bring a realism to the small screen, including the dynamics which make this partnership so special.'

Not quite getting Mulder's drift and felling a little left out of the loop, Scully continued to give her partner the stare of death. Crossing her arms let him know how insecure she felt at once again being mentally ditched. Finally looking embarrassed, the man on the couch confessed, 'the reporter tried to suggest I'm sleeping with your Mom.'

'Of all the….' Scully spluttered as her blue eyes turned to chips of ice.

Mulder thanked the universe his partner's ire hadn't been aimed at him. Pivoting on one foot, Scully turned back to the window not seeing the marvellous sight beyond the plate glass. Dana Katherine Scully didn't think she'd ever been so angry in her entire life. What came out of her mouth next proved she'd been brought up on a naval base. Finally feeling under control, she returned to her earlier position, looming over Mulder. Standing barely five foot four in her stockinged feet, she made an imposing sight.

'I hope you put that individual straight,' she seethed, her cheeks still red with rage.

'Scully,' Mulder looked embarrassed, 'the more I tried to deny it, the more the reporter believed it to be true. I gave up when I realised nothing I could say would change her mind.'

Muttering under her breath, Scully intellectually understood Mulder's cognitive assessment. The only trouble, she didn't feel very reasonable right at that moment. Appreciating Mulder felt much the same way, she finally accepted his offer of a seat on the cosy twin sofa. Since this whole episode started this morning, almost twelve hours ago, neither Scully nor Mulder managed to find the time to investigate the source causing such public interest. Something that intrigued them both, they knew they needed to find exactly when this had started in order to uncover who'd been responsible.

Swiftly taking the remote control and activating the television, Scully flicked through channels. Hoping to locate something to give them an idea, she found an entertainment show. Considering the amount of media attention they'd attracted today, she felt it might be a good place to start. Fortuitously, a picture of herself and Mulder appeared on the screen behind the anchor woman. Within seconds, Scully realised the image came from the FBI archives. It had to be sanctioned for release by the Bureau.

_Now that_, Scully mentally scolded_, is the place to start. After all who else has access to our case files?_

Taken several years earlier, they stood inches apart. Scully remembered the moment as they faced a task force giving final instruction to the agents responsible for arresting a sociopath. Both dressed in dark blue jackets with FBI across the back in bright yellow letters. Mulder looked down at her with an intense hazel gaze as she explained the perpetrators motivations. With the current interest in their partnership, the frame gave the appearance they'd been very close from the beginning of their association.

'Great,' Mulder muttered, placing his arm across the back of the sofa. Scully once again rolled her eyes, crossed her arms across her chest, sighed loudly, then finally gave into her need for reassurance and snuggled up to her partner. 'Just what we need,' Mulder continued in his best sarcastic tone, 'Ms Churchwood digging through the X-files for old pictures of us.'

'What if she finds…' Scully didn't need to say more, a single look communicated their level of unease.

They both knew Dr Dana Scully's name appeared more than once on paperwork inhabiting the basement office. Samantha's abduction and the reason for Fox Mulder's interest in the X-files had become public knowledge. Surprisingly, it worked in their favour, generating sympathy and interest. Mulder chose that moment to move his arm, warming Scully's shoulder by pulling her smaller frame into his, giving comfort and receiving it in return.

'Agents Fox Mulder and Dr Dana Scully landed in Los Angeles this evening to a rousing welcome,' the immaculately attired presenter stated in her precise voice. 'Thousands of fans greeted the most famous pair in FBI history. Director/Producer Kris Kriston personally turned out to greet the Agents. He announced his studio secured the services of Mulder and Scully, as they have become popularly known, as consultants for his new television series, The Unexplained Files. We cross live to Ethan Trevelyan who is with one young fan lucky enough to capture the attention of Special Agent Dr Dana Scully.'

'Ethan, before we speak to the young man lucky enough to spend time with Agent Scully, what can you tell us about the pair,' Sarah Brownstoe requested as the screen dissolved to display a young, blond in his mid-thirties surrounded by a noisy crowd.

'Well, Sarah,' Ethan held his microphone close to his mouth while using the other the press his hearing piece into his ear to capture the anchor woman's voice, 'a source within the production company alerted the media to the agent's arrival late this afternoon. The crowd built to more than a thousand in the half hour period, necessitating a police presence to ensure the agents and crowd safety. They were met by none other than the studio president and director Kris Kriston.' At this point the screen changed to the footage taken two hours earlier of Mulder and Scully alighting the private jet as the reporters voice over continued to explain the images. 'An impromptu statement by Walter Fox, founder and current president of the studio assured the FBI's, and Agents Mulder and Scully's, complete co-operation with the new series set to hit the small screen within two months.'

'Did either agent speak to the media?' Sarah questioned.

'Yes,' Ethan responded. The image of a panicked looking Mulder speaking to the red haired female reporter hit the screen. 'Neither agent would speculate about their roles on The Unexplained Files or the status of their personal relationship. As you can see in the footage, they're never very far apart physically and give the appearance of being very close. A source within the FBI hinted at a long established and intimate connection. A neighbour of Agent Mulder's has gone on record stating he's not sure if Agent Dana Scully is the object of her partners affections as he's seen her mother visit more often than the daughter.'

'Oh,' Sarah commented as the picture flicked back to her sitting at the desk.

'Here's what Agent Scully had to say on the topic,' Ethan announced as footage taken hours before rolled.

Scully, standing beside Ethan and looking grim, flicked her eyes toward her partner. Mulder stood not more than a foot away, talking to the red haired media representative circulating the alternative relationship rumours. In that instant, hazel orbs met blue in a plea for rescue. Returning to the microphone, Scully answered the question the audience would never hear.

'My mother is very supportive,' she stated.

'Of all the…' Scully started.

'Am I to gather,' Mulder chose to look amused, 'that you've been misquoted?'

'He asked me about my career and if my family approved,' Scully fumed.

'Amazing,' Mulder really tried not to laugh, 'how we've been taken out of context.'

Turning her glare to her partner, Scully's eyes once again spat blue, icy chips. 'How are we going to stop this,' she inquired in a deadly tone.

'Do you really think anyone is going to believe I'm with your mom, Scully,' Mulder asked seriously, 'especially with the sample from the internet we saw this morning? How many of those stories were romantic in nature starting yours truly and a petite red haired partner? What if those pictures your Mom has aren't the only images in existence? I don't think anyone will believe we are just partners in the professional sense of the word if they make it to the media. Hell, after what your mom said to us, I wonder when we became more than friends and colleagues.'

Suddenly deflated, Scully stammered, 'what…what do you mean?'

'Scully,' Mulder moved slightly, 'your mom questioning the bond between us, it changed everything.'

Frowning, Scully didn't want to think about her role in Mulders life right at this point. Denial had always worked wonders in the past and she couldn't see why that shouldn't continue. Staring blankly at the TV screen, an adolescent, no more than nineteen and looking suspiciously like a younger version of Langly began an animated conversation with Ethan. His black T-shirt read "I love Agent Scully" emblazoned above her image.

'She's amazing,' the young man enthused, 'a medical doctor and a FBI agent. Second in her class at North-western and third at the academy against guys almost twice her size. I've managed to read some to the case files leaked onto the internet. They get to see the most amazing things.'

'I've read them too,' a girl, slightly younger than her companion butted into the conversation, 'and I wouldn't let that partner out of my sight if it were me. He's sexy, and those pouty lips. I'm telling you, I wouldn't let him roll over me to get to Scully.'

'So you think Mulder and Scully are in a "romantic" relationship?' Ethan asked casually, his body language betraying his real interest.

'You bet,' yet another boy grinned wickedly as he broke into the conversation, 'Hey, I'd like to jump her bones, just give me half a chance.'

'Me too,' yet another voice called from off camera.

'If Mulder isn't,' a deeper tone, quite obviously from a fully grown male, commented lazily, 'maybe he should mover over and let a real man do the job!'

The camera searched the audience for the man who'd made the comment in vein. Returning to Ethan, he continued his fluff piece before turning his attention to the studio executives. Annoyed by the invasion into her personal life, Scully felt like throwing the remote at the television screen in rage. Instead she shut off the volume and chucked the plastic into the coffee table.

'As if,' Scully commented with rancour, taking up a very defensive posture.

'Scully,' Mulder manoeuvred to face his partner, 'those kids have just given me an idea. With a little luck, this might be the shortest media frenzy of the century.'


	6. Chapter 6

AN – Am I the only one who wonders what happened to Mulder and Scully's glasses after season one?

* * *

><p>Mulder swiped at his tired eyes. <em>Time to take these contacts out<em>, he mused silently_, after all I've been waring this pair of disposals past, not only the recommended sixteen hours a day, but also longer than the one month expiry date. _Mulder considered the last time he'd been home long enough to actually book and keep an appointment with his optometrist. It'd been a while.

'Maybe I'll get time on this assignment,' he remarked sarcastically under his breath, 'after all how much time can filming a television series take.'

It brought an immediate response from the prone figure at his side. 'What did you say, Mulder?' Scully questioned. Finally, she felt the urge to open one eye and see why her partner had ceased his endless taping on her laptop keyboard.

Mustering the energy to move, Dana Scully uncrossed her feet and arms from their defensive posture. Letting out an impressive yawn, she stretched her hands above her head like a sleek cat. Regaining her usual deportment, Scully moved to sit primly on the edge of the couch. Spending the past three hours researching the available data on the internet hadn't been her idea but Mulder's technique to convince Dana of his current crazy theory.

What they'd found blew their minds. The foray earlier this morning barely touched the surface of available information to be found. Typing their names into a search engine elicited a cascade of sites. Many of the professional looking pages appeared dedicated to their cases. The partners felt horrified at the level of information seeping onto the information superhighway. However the less formal sites became a revelation. All concerned the supposed relationship between them, some in a very descriptive way.

_Well_, Scully considered carefully, _Mulder's been like a dog at a bone. I gave up an hour ago and ordered the most expensive items on the in room dining menu thanks to our new boss at the studio. How he managed to eat a full steak, baked potato and vegetables while still intently scouring the internet on my laptop, I'll never know. He didn't even manage to drop a morsel of desert on the keyboard. That has to be a record._

Glancing sidelong at his companion on the twin sofa, Mulder saw a study in fatigue. They'd been up almost twenty hours. The clock on the wall read midnight, which really meant four in the morning Washington time. _Not the first time we've pulled an all-nighter,_ Mulder smiled inwardly, fondly remembering the hours he'd spent closeted with his partner while working a case. Contrary to popular belief, and the many stories on the internet, it didn't happen that often. While he might neglect sleep on a regular basis, Scully hated his unsocial hours.

'Seen enough, Scully,' he enquired lackadaisically, 'to realise my plans the only one that stands a chance of working?'

'I've seen enough to last me an entire lifetime,' Scully returned when she realised her partner expected an answer. 'I cannot believe people actually spend the time and effort to consider, much less write this…this…' Throwing her hands up in the air to show her incredibility, Scully just shook her head. 'I'm not questioning your theory Mulder, just the validity of the assumptions you're basing it on.'

'What's to validate?' he asked, surprised by her resistance. 'Either this will work or it won't. If it does, we'll be back in DC by the end of the month. If not, we find another way to diffuse the media attention and discover who's at the bottom of this.'

'I'm just not sure giving the public what they want,' stoping to consider her next words carefully, Scully stated vehemently, 'what they expect, will suddenly make this,' she pointed at the computer screen as though it would come to life on its own, 'all go away.'

'Think about the best romantic situation comedies you've seen in the last decade,' Mulder spoke persuasively.

'When do we get the time to watch television, Mulder,' she asked in a caustic tone with a typical Scully eye roll.

Completely ignoring the censure, he continued, 'they star a male and female lead dripping with unrequited sexual chemistry. The usual attraction between them can't be consummated for fear of decreasing the ratings and some other completely incomprehensible reason known only to those who actually follow the program. So the viewing public live with this never ending will they or won't they get together in a romantic relationship subtext weaved carefully into each episode.'

'You think the producer will do that with The Unexplained Files?' Scully questioned with a start of a frown puckering her forehead.

'They'd be crazy not to,' Mulder replied easily. 'It's a winning combination and they have one pair of very attractive Special Agents of differing genders to play with. The viewing public expect a "romantic relationship" between the major participants whom the characters are based on. The subplot is already written, Scully. Besides, if you want the show to die a natural death, you just get the two together. Interest in the premise wains because who wants to see a perfectly content couple live happily ever after when in reality it never happens.'

'Just how much late night TV do you actually watch?' Scully reached over to the table and poured them both an extremely good quality coffee from an insulated pot.

Allowing his diminutive partner to fix his drink just the way he liked it, Mulder waited for exactly the right moment to say, 'marry me Scully and make our admirers happy.'

'You counting my Mother in that number, Mulder,' she returned lightly, an ever so slight smile curving the corners of her lips. The thought amused her no end.

'I'd do just about anything to make your Mom happy, Scully,' he returned in a similar vein, making them both smile.

'So some reports would have us, and everyone else believe,' she hesitated a moment, took a sip of her brew, settled herself back comfortably into the sofa with her feet on the coffee table. Displaying this more domestic side of her personality, Scully didn't want to become comfortable with her current surroundings or the company. They rarely got the chance to just sit and talk and Agent Dana Scully resisted the idea of it becoming a regular occurrence. 'So you're suggesting,' she teased out the words carefully modulating her tone into bland neutrality, 'this will all go away because people see us as the fairy tale, the pin up poster couple of the century and lose interest when the possible becomes reality.'

Giving her a "I can't believe you're not taking me seriously" glare, Scully ignored her partner. Turning serious, she questioned, 'what happens at the end, Mulder? We go back to DC with the whole world aware of our supposed "relationship" but uncaring because we've given them what they want.'

'It doesn't have to be real, Scully,' Mulder almost pouted, 'we just make it look like we're the perfect couple.' Placing his cup on the table, he inched forward, legs spread, and hands together but dangling in the space they created. 'Tonight, that reporter, Ethan, made the suggestion were a together based on the lack of personal space, the way we looked at each other and synergy we've built up because of our work. We could use that, by making each contact longer, seem more intimate, stand just a little bit closer, and stare just a little bit longer.'

'Mulder,' Scully interrupted with a smile, 'you're starting to sound like an old country song.' Humming a few bars, a delighted smile reached both partners eyes. They needed the comedy break.

'Maybe there seeing something we don't, darlin',' Mulder spoke the words clearly, without a trace of musical inflection. The sudden change in his posture alerting Scully to deeper considerations he had no intention of sharing with her at this point in time. Shivering, she knew it had to do with her mother's comments and the incident on the Leer jet. Not allowing her more time to collate his thoughts, Mulder continued, 'let's give them something to talk about, a little mystery to figure out.'

'Love, Mulder,' Scully allowed one auburn eyebrow to arch ceiling ward, 'you think anyone will believe we've kept a relationship secret for how many years and only now decide to bring it out to the public masses?'

'In case you missed it,' Mulder reached for the laptop. Quickly finding the article he wanted, he brought up the attached prose before handing the computer to Scully. 'People are talkin, talking about people, namely us,' Mulder stated in a tone laced with irony. Pointing to the very explicit paragraph, which rivalled one of the images they'd given to Mrs Scully earlier the same day, he stated, 'it's no wonder someone with the right equipment managed to turn this into a pictorial representation. If we don't do something to stop the interest in our personal lives, the media attention will only increase.'

'Increase,' that eyebrow managed to climb yet another step higher, 'to what?' Scully questioned, 'haven't they invaded every aspect of our lives.'

'Think Hollywood megastar, Scully,' Mulder suggested and then waited for the penny to drop, 'followed day and night for that one picture which might just confirm what everyone is saying, not to mention send magazine sales soring. So far we've been spared the worst of the media attention because our last cases took us to Nowheresville, Backwater, USA, where we could move around freely without fear of being recognised. Not going to happen in LA.'

'Oh, God,' Scully looked stricken as the implications finally hit home.

Seven and a half hours later, showered, dressed and yet another cup of expensive room service coffee in her hand, Scully prepared to walk the gauntlet. Stepping out of the master suite, she took the time to admire the décor she'd ignored the night before. Mulder and their plan, hastily hatched last night, awaited them. They only had to put it into action. A very public breakfast in the hotel dining room formed the first step in regaining their old lives.

'Ready, Scully,' Mulder asked, reaching out to place a hand in the middle of her back. He'd ignored the second bedroom in favour of sleeping on the very comfortable rocker recliner in the living room. By leaving the other bed untouched, it would appear they'd shared the enormous king bed in the master suite to the housekeeping staff. Hearsay Mulder wanted to encourage as it played into the image they were attempting to create.

'Let's get this show on the road,' she returned, plastering a polite, happy smile on her features. Inwardly Scully had butterfly's fluttering around her stomach. She attempted to dispel them as hunger pains but even her mind wouldn't allow that level of denial.

Keeping close, they stepped out of the ornate double doors and prepared to face their adoring public. For one brief second, Scully's blue eyes met Mulder's hazel and they shared a silent conversation. Neither like the position they'd been forced to take. Heaving a heavy sigh, they started the long walk down the hallway and into the bastion of the public domain.

A bellhop dressed in hotel livery attempted not to stare as he waited with a service trolley by the employees lift. Smiling politely as they passed, he murmured 'good morning, Agents.' When Scully answered the young man, his face lit up and she knew she'd made his day.

'There are some rewards to fame,' Mulder teased by stooping to whisper in her ear.

'So it would seem,' she chanced a glance toward her taller partner, almost bring their lips into contact.

Embarrassed by the near caress, Scully's cheeks turned bright red. The exchange witnessed by three guests waiting in the elevator foyer to descend to the ground floor causing them to smile knowingly. Turning on his charm, Scully shivered in anticipation of her partners' next move as they sidled up to the group.

'Enjoying your stay,' Mulder flirted with the older woman who blushed as though she'd just been addressed by a Movie star.

'Yes,' she stammered. Watching the interaction closely, Scully thought she recognised the woman and wondered if people would think the same of her in years to come.

'Is this your first trip to LA?' one of their fellow guests asked, only to be nudged in the ribs by his female partner who glared at Scully accusingly. Dana offered her polite, uninterested smile in answer as a new diamond solitaire gleamed on the younger woman's wedding finger.

'No,' a Cheshire smile engulfed Mulder's face. He couldn't help enjoying the byplay. His early psychological training turning the wheels in his mind, amused at the interaction between this odd group. Placing a little more pressure on the hand resting at Scully's back, she flicked her head over a shoulder to shoot a questioning look at her partner. The elevator door opened before them to an empty car. 'Dana and I investigated several cases in California,' Mulder continued the conversation smoothly, guiding Scully into the waiting space. 'Usually the Federal budget won't extent to such a wonderful hotel. I believe my… er partner finds this particular establishment very romantic.'

Scully sent Mulder a warning look, feeling he'd gone overboard with the effusive praise. One look at the older woman's face said she'd taken the words and given them her own meaning, while the younger couple looked at each other with a shrewd smile. Mulder's thinly veiled hints had worked.

'My husband brought me here on our honeymoon, almost twenty five years ago,' Scully finally managed to place the older woman as she commented wistfully, fingering her wedding and engagement rings. Once she'd been an up and coming actress, until she married a very wealthy European business man.

Something in the older woman's expression made Scully gently ask, 'has your husband passed on?'

'Last year,' she commented softly, the sadness still rampant in her tone. Suddenly cheering up, she added, 'I hope you get your romantic stay. It really is a wonderful place to spend time with the one you love.'

'I believe you might be right,' Scully blushed furiously. Taking a complement never sat well with her. A backhanded compliment based on a figment of the woman's imagination embarrassed both agents.

'I don't know if I can do this, Mulder,' Scully whispered as they alighted the elevator behind their new acquaintances. Crossing the lobby to the dining room, she kept her head down, allowing her companion to lead her into the opulent space.

'Just keep blushing and being yourself, Scully,' Mulder spoke quietly into her ear, 'and you'll give the impression we're aiming for. Three reporters in the foyer managed to get pictures before hotel security removed them. Besides, the young woman who thought you'd taken away her fiancée's attention is now talking to one of the media representatives. Give it a week and we'll be back in our DC basement.'

* * *

><p>I'd love to here were you want this to go next - the frist day on the set or breakfast at the Berverly Wiltshire? I had thought to end it in a chapter or two.<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

Leyla – I got the initial idea from a very short story at gossamer which gave me the concept for the first chapter. I felt the work could have been expanded and included humour/parody/satire at the situation, so I decided to write. As with all my stories, they often take on a life of their own and become a monstrosity. So many of my ideas come from the reviews, please don't stop them. But as you say, this work is almost unique in its content as far as I know. If anyone else knows of other pieces, I'd love to hear about them!

* * *

><p>'Hot dam,' Frohike swore.<p>

Slamming his right fist onto the junk covered work surface, he upset the pizza and empty beer bottles left over from last night. Frohike had been trawling the trashiest internet news sites when he came across the article causing his current angst. A few clicks later and he realised other, more professional and reliable reports also existed on the same topic. Continuing to mutter unintelligibly under his breath, Melvin scanned the lines of print with an unimpressed expression.

'Hey man,' Langly lent in from his stool, wondering what caused the outburst.

Continuing the action, Ringo managed to retrieve their belated breakfast before it hit the floor. Realising something had upset his friend, Langly wondered if he could use it to tease the older man. The image covering half the screen attracted his immediate attention. They all knew and admired the male and female captured in the frame, some more than others. Reading the headline posted above caused a callous smile to cover the computer geeks face. This was gold for teasing Frohike and Langly intended to enjoy every moment.

'Looks like Mulder finally won the heart of Agent Scully,' he mocked softly but not unkindly.

'I can't believe it,' Frohike muttered under his breath, completely ignoring Langly, 'I know we haven't seen them around here in a while, but…but…this can't be true.'

'Then take a look at this,' Langly teased, turning his computer screen toward the toad like man with a blatantly amused smile.

The image captured Frohike's attention immediately with the by-line 'Married or not they could be America's next sweethearts.' Unable to take his eyes away, Melvin swore viciously. This particular newspaper reported factual stories and had been well respected in Washington for over a hundred years. Needing to know the truth, he set to work. Commencing a much wider internet search, Frohike waited impatiently for the monitor to give a beep. He grinned like a school boy who'd just won his first battle with a bully when the results displayed on the monitor before him.

'Not married,' he turned to Langly and told him firmly, 'I checked every state in this country, plus Canada and Mexico.'

Byers choose that moment to calmly enter the room and to stand between his constantly bickering compatriots. His piercing blue eyes flicked from Frohike to Langly to the open computer screens before them. Keeping his outer expression composed, the other gunmen would never know the thoughts and emotions running through his brain. He remained, as always serene and unruffled.

'It would seem the cat has been set among the pidgins,' Byers commented lackadaisically as Langly continued to browse the internet for stories concerning Mulder and Scully. What came up next surprised and shocked the three gunmen.

'I like this version better,' Frohike pointed to Langly's computer with an evil laugh.

'Hey man,' Langly answered with a long slow whistle of appreciation, 'Scully's mom is one hot lady. Knowing Mulder, maybe he's doing them both.'

Byer's finally scrunched up his face at the suggestion while Frohike had a mouth full of non-repeatable words to offer Langly at his unorthodox proposition. Flicking his intelligent eyes between screens, Byers analysed the data. 'This one,' he pointed to the photo of Mulder and Scully walking through the lobby of a posh looking hotel, 'is barely an hour old. Look at the figures on the clocks. They display eastern and western US time along with the current date, making it the more likely to be true. By the way, did you include Porto Rico in your search?' Byers aimed the question at Frohike as he walked back towards his room in the cramped space.

'Man,' Langly complained about Byers as Frohike rushed to re-run his investigation with the new parameters, 'why do you always have to be so logical. I think Scully's Mom is hot. The idea of anyone doing her…'

'How did Byers know about Porto Rico?' the shorter of the two asked in a stunned tone, interrupting Langly.

'What!' Ringo exclaimed, examining the document closely, 'you gotta get conformation from at least two other sources, man, before you believe that. At least one officially in that country to make sure it's not a fake!'

'It had better be,' Frohike's fingers flew like lightening over his keyboard to establish the authenticity of the marriage licence issued to one Fox William Mulder and Dana Katherine Scully.

The timing, from his memory appeared correct. Mulder had ditched his partner after their division had been temporarily closed. Scully came to the gunmen for to help finding him. Frohike's years in the shadows, hunting down conspiracies suddenly tormented him. Melvin knew this to be bogus and the work of someone waiting to pounce on his friend's at the most inopportune moment. With everything he'd seen this morning, the cogs in his mind insisted Mulder and Scully wouldn't keep this a secret from the gunmen. The Lone Gunmen being the only ones who could be trusted to maintain the secrecy needed.

* * *

><p>'Sir,' the Maître d' held out a hand suggesting a quiet, secluded area of the restaurant he knew their more famous guests preferred, 'Madam, this way.'<p>

A palm at the base of Scully's spine hinted at another option, one they'd discussed last night. Mulder pointed to a table in the open but not too close to the large plate glass windows providing a view of the sidewalk. 'Could we sit there?' he asked barely audibly.

'Certainly, Sir,' the immaculately presented man displayed no emotion. Moving towards the selected table, he added, 'you will be in full view of the reporters on the side walk. Unfortunately we cannot remove them from a public area allowing you solitude whilst dinning in our establishment this morning.'

'I understand,' Scully agreed in a quite tone matching the ambiance of the room. 'We have carefully considered our options in regard to our current celebrity status and feel it better to give the media an opportunity to "get their fill". Perhaps this way, we might be left alone sooner, rather than later.'

'Offering fifteen minutes of easy access to your fame, is a very intelligent idea,' he concurred as they weaved their way through several well placed tables.

'I sincerely hope so,' Scully's eyebrow rose, 'then maybe we can get back to our real lives.'

'Very good, Madam,' he nodded sagely, before adding as he tucked Scully into her chair, 'can I suggest the name of a very reputable reporter who might be able to aid you. Several of our A list Hollywood stars utilise his services when they want to break a story and make it go away with speed and accuracy.'

'Thank you,' Scully's smile widened as her mind began to integrate this new information.

The confrontation in the lift lobby embarrassed her. Pretending to be Mulder's other half didn't quite feel right or proper given their professional status as partners. Dana Scully made a promise to herself before commencing employment at the FBI. She'd never date anyone in her immediate working environment. She'd been there before with disastrous results and didn't want to repeat the mistake.

Spending a restless night, Dana's subconscious pondered her emotions towards her partner. She'd woken with no more resolution than the day before. The Bonnie Raitt song continued to meld with the photos delivered to their office forcing her mental abilities to silently consider the possibilities. _I hear them whisper. They think we're lovers, kept under cover. I just ignore it. I feel so foolish, I never noticed. You'd act so nervous, could you be falling for me?_

The lines played almost continuously in her head. In fact Mulder caught her mouthing them as she came out of the single bathroom he insisted they share to continue their romantic ruse. He'd been incredibly amused and taken the event as conformation their personal relationship might be changing. His flirtations, always subtle as a sledge hammer, took on a whole new perspective. Scully had to wonder if he did indeed have feelings for her. Relying on denial and self-imposed ignorance to solve the situation, Dana strengthened her mental walls.

'Do you need time to order,' the Maître d' asked politely, breaking into Scully's thoughts. He understood this intelligent couple found the hidden meaning within his words.

'Thank you,' Scully offered once again, 'if we could look over the menu for a few minutes before deciding, that would be wonderful.'

'Minutes, Scully,' Mulder mocked as his eyes perused the enormous selections of delicacy's on offer. 'It'll take me a week to translate what some of these meals are!'

Calmly narrowing her choices down, Dana stated without lifting her orbs to her partner, 'you'd like me to believe you didn't come from an upper middle class background where you've never dined in an establishment like this Mulder.'

'We had money, but,' he paused, laying his menu down. Cradling one set of fingers in the other, he placed them between his Stirling sliver cutlery on the linin cloth. Strangely he actually felt relaxed in this environment. In Mulder's mind, he treated the whole situation as surreal, an amazing joke. He could pretend they'd taken a holiday and relax with Scully in a way he'd never allowed himself before. It opened his conversation to topics usually kept locked securely away in his mind. 'We never used it after Samantha disappeared. Mom and Dad rarely went out in public together, accept on socially appropriate occasions.'

'You didn't date at Oxford,' Scully took the opportunity to ask. They seldom spoke about their lives outside work. Unable to resist, she added 'and bedazzle your female guest with a fancy dinner at a trendy restaurant?'

'Maybe,' he smiled back, the memories of his first few dates with Phoebe Green coming to mind, 'once or twice. Back then I usually had an ulterior motive for the romantic dinner.'

'What about the breakfast the next morning,' Scully tried to hide her evil smile as she teased her partner.

'I'd usually eaten all I wanted by then,' he returned. While his hazel eyes twinkled with mischief, daring Scully to continue, Mulder kept a straight face.

'Hmmmm,' Dana returned her attention to her menu, 'I'll have to order for you then, Mulder, as this is a rare treat.' Waiting for him to react, she carefully chose her next words. 'Spending the entire night and taking a lady to breakfast.'

'Touché, Scully,' he grinned. Before Mulder could continue, a service person came to stand beside their table.

'I'll have the eggs Florentine, please, with a pot of English tea,' Scully's manicured finger nail demonstrated the item to the waiter. 'American breakfast, eggs over easy on white toast and coffee for my partner,' she watched Mulder's response.

'You know me so well,' he teased once the young man disappeared.

Deliberately allowing her eyebrow to arch delicately, Scully took a sip of water. Her cerulean eyes never leaving Mulder, she stated, 'I'd like to think so, after all the years we've worked together.'

'You think I'm easy, Scully,' Mulder asked, affecting a hurt tone in an attempt to further the conversation.

'Hmmm, Agent Henderson from the lab who complained you never returned her calls,' Dana mocked. 'Inspector Green coming all the way from England for help on a case, ring any bells or would you like me to continue.'

'And people say I have the photographic memory,' he returned in the same vein, secretly please Scully had taken notice of the women chasing him. Then again some of her comments the night before had bordered on possessive. 'You're ignoring the fact they pursued me, not the other way around. I usually get the woman I'm after.'

An enigmatic smile crept onto Scully's lips, hiding her delight at the length of the banter occurring between them. Normally she wouldn't allow more than a few suggestive remarks before cutting her partner off. Here, attempting to give the image of a couple, in these opulent surrounding, Scully found herself relaxing her ridged professionalism. Somehow it became difficult to see this as a normal working day. It felt more like a vacation. They weren't even dressed in their usually modest FBI suits.

'I'll take that into consideration,' Scully allowed a twinkle to reach her orbs.

They sat quietly, enjoying the tranquil atmosphere and ambience until their drinks arrived. Mulder tucked into his immediately, even though they'd shared a coffee an hour earlier in their suit. Scully chose to admire the presentation of her gold rimmed white bone china service for one.

'You're supposed to drink it, Scully,' Mulder teased lightly unable to keep his amusement at bay. 'Any one would think you'd never seen porcelain before.'

'On an FBI wage,' she returned lightly finally lifting the pot, 'they might be right.'

Once again allowing an unfathomable smile to cover her features, she wondered what life might have been like under different circumstance. Dr Dana Scully might have come to this hotel for a conference in another life. Signing at the whimsy, the waiter appeared silently at her elbow with her breakfast. Taking the time to enjoy the artistry of the plate, a wicked idea popped into Scully head.

Picking up her fork, she leant over the table and stabbed a mushroom from Mulder's plate. Not letting her get away with stealing his breakfast, he locked his fingers around her wrist. While their eyes clashed in silent combat, the reporters on the side walk had a field day. They'd waited almost half an hour for this exact shot and they took advantage of the couple's laps. Winning the battle, Mulder let go of Scully hand, only to have the morsel offered to him.

'I think we've given the press enough opportunity,' Dana retained her mocking smile, selecting another mushroom to steel from Mulder's plate. The smell had her mouth-watering.

'Only if you give me a bite of yours, Scully' he indicated the English muffin covered in poached egg and hollandaise sauce on a bed of crisp baby spinach while his gaze hinted at something altogether different.

'It's vegetarian, Mulder,' Scully stated as she cut into the food, ignoring the double meaning before realising she'd issued one. Placing a delicate bite sized piece on her fork, she offered it to her companion expecting him to reject it outright due to Mulder's love of fried food, especially meat.

'If all rabbit food looked that good,' he stole her hand, forcing it and Scully closer to his side of the table. 'I promise I'd eat more of it.' Leaning in close, Mulder used every ounce of the blatant sexuality he rarely turned on to play with the titbit before finally taking it into his mouth.

A blush stole over Scully's features. Even though they couldn't hear the words accompanying the actions, cameras outside the window focused on the pair. Shutters worked overtime to capture the images of lovers at in intimate breakfast for two. Cell phones requested space in the early evening edition or on internet pages. Independent journalists began taping out their personal blogs and uploading them to their websites with accompanying pictures.

In a dingy office, on the other side of the country, a man watched with glee. He'd engineered their popularity for his own purpose. It'd been so easy, leaking some of the early X-files cases onto the internet. The response beyond his wildest dreams, he'd been forced to up scaled his scheme more rapidly than expected. His last move, eight photos delivered to the Hoover building yesterday morning.

Now he waited with baited breath for the couple's response. Observing the intimate breakfast in real-time, he analysed motives for their unusual behaviour. He knew, from careful observation, they didn't have a romantic interest in each other the press believed. Understanding their motives for the public display of affection, he'd planed a new strategy by the time they walked out of the restaurant. Soon, he'd make his move soon, but not too soon. Allowing Mulder to think the press would back off, he placed a call to ensures the pressure only intensified when a wedding certificate from Porto Rico became common knowledge.


	8. Chapter 8

'Ready,' Mulder asked.

Instead of answering her partner, Scully took the napkin from her lap and delicately wiped her chin. When she'd finished, she laid it on her empty plate alongside her knife and fork. Looking directly into Mulder's hazel orbs, Dana quirked an eyebrow, poured the remaining beverage from the pot, added a splash of milk and took a sip from her gold rimed tea cup.

'I take it that's a no,' he responded, a sly smile appearing on his lips.

'I'm taking your advice, Mulder,' Scully replied an answering smirk gracing her face and reaching her eyes.

'How's that,' he asked forcing his brain to scour through their recent conversations. Coming up with several ideas, he waited for Scully's explanation. _This_, he considered silently, _could get very interesting very quickly_.

'Treating this like a vacation,' she openly teased, blue orbs full of mischief. 'I'm finally taking the time to enjoy my opulent surroundings. So far the meals have surpassed my expectations and the usual dining experience when traveling with you. Who knows,' she lent in as if colluding in a whisper, placing a hand on Mulder's sleeve, 'I might even decide to indulge in a little holiday romance.'

'Have you seen anyone,' Mulder conspired, enjoying this relaxed, playful side of his partner, 'who might fit your exacting standards, Dr Scully?'

Smiling enigmatically, Scully took her time to observe the other diners in the room while still sipping her cooling tea. The occasional sound issued from her mouth, non-committal in its quality. Dana's eyes didn't linger on any person until she came to Mulder. An impish grin covered her face, making her seem years younger.

'Maybe,' she commented, a twinkle in her eye, 'at least that's the impression I'm attempting to give.' Pausing to let her statement take effect, Dana allowed her hand to travel down Mulder's forearm. Lacing their fingers, she grinned wickedly and asked, 'how do you think I'm doing so far?'

'As much as I'd like to find out,' Mulder pointed to two men entering the dining room, 'I don't think we're going to get the opportunity to discuss your impending love life, Scully, much less mine.'

A frown marred her beautiful features making Mulder feel deprived. They almost never relaxed enough to reach this level of casual intimacy with each other. A look and Scully's eyes expressed the same emotions. She'd been enjoying their playful banter. A very large grey cloud had covered their moment in the sunshine leaving Mulder and Scully bereft.

'The cavalry just arrived,' Mulder remarked dryly. 'Even if we left now, I don't think we'd manage to get our before they see us, unless you've become an X file and developed the ability to vanish into thin air without my knowledge.'

'Afraid not,' Scully lamented, delicately placing her cup on its saucer and pulling her hand out of Mulder's. She didn't bother turning around. Dana could hear the duo as they entered the room. 'This is one time I wish we were investigating an X file,' she frowned, 'and I had the power to disappear at will.'

'I'm glad you're still here,' Kris Kriston boomed enthusiastically as he approached the table. Singling to the Maître d', he insisted on crowding another two chairs into the limited space. The dinners on either side rewarded them with a scowl which the well-known director ignored.

'I wanted to give you a copy of script for the pilot episode,' he brought two very thick manuscripts out of his attaché case and placed them on the overloaded table, 'Frank here's just finished the final draft.'

Neither Mulder nor Scully had the opportunity to acknowledge the bespectacled Asian man. Nodding his greeting, he didn't attempt to break in to the director's monologue. The agents took his lead, allowing their silent form of communication to say everything they needed.

'I'd like you to look over them in the next couple of hours, see if we need to make any changes. Originally,' snagging a passing waiter, Kris made a motion in the air suggesting coffees all round, 'we had this alien plot line which we'd wanted to explore in the second episode. The studio decided they wanted the "sexual" tension factor in the first episode to capture the public's attention so we changed the storyline to keep the bean counters happy.'

Neither studio executive captured the instantaneous glare Mulder sent his partner. It said "I told you so!" to which she answered "Shut up Mulder". Both turned their attention back to the oblivious man.

Ignorant, Kris continued, 'when I came across your first official investigation together, I couldn't believe how close we were to the truth.'

'Really,' Mulder managed to keep most of the sarcasm from his voice. Scully responded with an eyebrow hike and polite smile. 'The truth seems to be very elusive in our line of work.'

'I gather,' Scully entered the conversation with a moderated tone, making Mulder look at her with sharp eyes. He read her emotions and allowed a cynical smile to play across his lips. 'You've read the actual reports, I hope, and not the sensational representations on the information super-highway.'

'Not really,' Kris responded with a shrug of his broad shoulders, obviously uncaring of the facts. 'I leave that to the likes of Frank Wong and the other writers.'

Glancing expectantly at the man, Scully expression asked the question. 'Yes, I did,' he answered in a formal tone, 'and incorporated many of the elements I found from your investigation. I felt it gave the script an authentic subtext we'd missed in the initial version. It also helped to bond the main characters together. I can't imagine the start of your partnership with anything but animosity. It gives a continuing subtext for the relationship aspect of the show.'

'I'm glad our work proved to be of assistance,' Mulder's sarcasm tickled Scully's fancy. She hid her amusement behind a stoic mask as she remembered the earliest days of their association. In light of her recent self-discoveries, the initial meeting may have been antagonistic. It soon turned anything but when she ran to Mulder's room with mosquito bites in the middle of the night. He'd tested that faith and trust to the limit on occasion but Scully continued at his side to this day.

'How long do we have to look over the script?' Scully finally managed, wondering how quickly they could return to their suite and their real lives.

'It'll take about an hour in this traffic to get to the studio,' Kris stated, calling for the check. 'I believe you FBI types can read in the car?' Taking their lack of comment for the affirmative he continued, 'great. The casts been chosen, locations scoped out and we start filming next week, so don't make too many changes and they need to be minor so as not to conflict with the dynamics we're trying to achieve.'

Making a move to leave, Kris stopped half way. 'I've taken the liberty of getting the hotel to pack up your belongings,' he informed the agents in an offhand manner. 'The manager assured me they'd be in the car by the time we finished here. We've got a lot to achieve before Monday.'

'We're not staying here?' Scully commented, her plastered smile deceptive. Belaying the anger she felt, Dana wanted information. She wanted to know this man's plans for them. Suspecting the worst with their history, she'd learnt to trust no one except her partner. A quick glance at Mulder and Scully knew he felt just as uncomfortable with the sudden changes.

'I knew you two created a media sensation,' Kris commented blithely, 'we didn't count on it being mega-star quality. Most of the consultancy work can be done from my house so you don't have to face the media every time you step onto the street. That way we can have instant access to your knowledge, and give you some privacy from the general public. I had my estate manager arranged the cottage on my property made ready.'

'Very generous of you,' Scully commented, her voice laced with ice. Already she felt like a prisoner.

At the same moment, a waiter appeared at Kris's elbow, breaking the stifling atmosphere developing around the table. Handing him a black leather folder, he added an American express card. 'Make those coffees' to go,' the producer ordered, 'in those fancy take out cups.'

Waiting for the service person to depart, he returned his attention to Mulder and Scully, hopping from his chair. 'Frank can answer any questions you have while I settle the account here. You might like to get a start on those scripts.'

Left floundering, Mulder opened the volume before him. The first words on the page captured his imagination. Not quite realistic, it recreated the essence of the first case he and Scully investigated. Purposely ignoring the others at the table, Mulder allowed the silence to become heavy. Obviously feeling like a third wheel, Frank excused himself. Heading for the men's room, he left them alone.

'Well,' Scully whispered in Mulder's ear.

'So far so good,' he retorted. 'You're not going to read it Scully?'

'Sadly,' she stated, 'I have too.'

'You remember our first case?' Mulder asked earnestly.

'How could I forget,' she rolled her eyes.

'They've actually used our names,' he said with a level of incredulity rarely heard. 'The main characters are called Special Agent Fox William Mulder and Dr Dana Katherine Scully. There's enough of our initial case to make it feel authentic. So far, we've just met. You came across as a ridged, dogmatic scientist while they've painted me as a sarcastic, narcissistic arsehole.'

'Right on target then,' Scully offered, tongue in cheek. It just about described how she felt after their first meeting. Picking up her copy, Scully stood. 'Coming,' she asked.

'You really want an answer to that?' Mulder's suggestive tone resulted in his partners' icy glare.

'I believe we are being summonsed,' Scully indicated Kris standing in the entry to the dining room holding four large cups in one hand and his cell phone in the other.

The instrument stayed glued to his ear for the entirety of the seventy five minute drive to his Hollywood home. Attempting to read the manuscript before her, Scully couldn't keep her attention focused on the words. Kris's grating voice all she could hear as he discussed locations, sets, costumes and a thousand other details required for filming a TV series. Glancing over at Mulder, he seemed entrenched, turning pages at a rapid rate. Two thirds of the way through his tome, he smiled briefly before retuning his attention to the words before him.

The limousine pulled up to a set of wrought iron gates opened by remote control. Driving up the impressive approach to the main house, Scully became aware of how the other half lived. The car pulled up under a Porte Cochere displaying an opulent entry to the main house.

'Dam,' Kris complained loudly, closing the phone. Facing Frank he stated, 'looks like we may have to move production to Vancouver. The set production said they can't find the locations in California.'

'That's always been the best location,' Frank reminded easily. 'The only factor against us is the weather in Canada.'


End file.
